It’s 1968 and 70,000 North Vietnamese forces launch their daring Tet Offensive. Meanwhile, in the other major theatre of the Cold War conflict, the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact allies invade Czechoslovakia and snuff out the Prague Spring. A year of living dangerously, then, and a perfect time for the Rolling Stones to release Beggars Banquet. Key tracks: Sympathy for the Devil, which conjures up the decline of Western civilization, and Street Fighting Man with its brazen demand for “a palace revolution”. Hat tip to Ian for the loan of the album.

“Hey! Said my name is called disturbance
I’ll shout and scream, I’ll kill the king, I’ll rail at all his servants
Well, what can a poor boy do
Except to sing for a rock ‘n’ roll band
‘Cause in sleepy London town
There’s just no place for a street fighting man.”